A brief glimpse of Ivan Demidov at the Bell Centre has turned into a bigger story than the Canadiens probably wanted.
The Montreal winger, still working his way back from an ankle injury, skated privately last week at Bell Centre and in Brossard. Access was tightly restricted, with reporters and fans kept out. Then came the unusual twist: someone reportedly lost their job after filming Demidov on the ice.
That level of control underscores how carefully Montreal is managing the situation around a player whose recovery has stayed mostly behind closed doors.
Demidov was hurt while blocking a shot on September 21 in Trois-Rivières. The Canadiens announced on October 6 that he would miss two to four weeks, but nearly six weeks later he still hasn’t returned. He remains on injured reserve, and he isn’t expected back before November 14.
His agent offered the clearest update last week, saying Demidov had fractured his ankle and was still weeks away from playing again.
The news since then hasn’t been especially encouraging. According to Maxime Truman, Demidov skated only once between Monday and Wednesday this week, and he is still wearing a walking boot when he moves around.
For Montreal, that’s a real concern. Demidov, the fifth overall pick in 2024, has played only twice this season and has one goal and one assist. He was supposed to take another step forward in 2026-27, but that timeline is on hold for now.
Still, the Canadiens keep winning, and that gives them room to wait. There’s no reason to force Demidov back early with his ankle still a question mark, especially with Jordan Decker even raising the possibility of surgery.
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Carey Price Return Sparks Canadiens Debate Fans Never Expected
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The criticism landed in a week when Montreal had plenty else to feel good about, coming off a win over Boston and sitting in a strong spot in the NHL standings. Still, the debate over language and connection is a familiar one around the Canadiens, where longtime figures from both the hockey and baseball worlds have often been measured not just by what they did on the ice or field, but by how they embraced the citys culture. [Read more 🡒]